Martin Brundle’s Unexpected Interaction with Social Media Sensation

During his iconic Grid Walk at the Chinese Grand Prix, veteran broadcaster and former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle found himself in a unique situation when he crossed paths with social media influencer Xue Zhang, better known as Mr. Unicorn. Despite three decades of entertaining fans with his off-the-cuff interviews, this encounter left Brundle speechless.

The Meeting on the Grid

As Brundle walked the grid before the race, he spotted an unusual character – Xue Zhang. Commenting on the influencer, Brundle said, “There’s an unusual character… Xue Zhang.” Upon approaching him, Brundle asked Mr. Unicorn to introduce himself: “I’m Mr Unicorn from China! I’m looking for the fastest man alive over here,” he shouted excitedly.

The unicorn head-clad influencer then unfurled a scroll with traditional Chinese typography, which translated to “fastest man in the world” in English. When asked who he thought was the fastest driver alive, Mr. Unicorn replied, “Lewis Hamilton!”

Social Media Reaction and Reflections on Broadcasting Career

After the race, Brundle shared his thoughts about the unusual encounter on social media, saying, “It’s a funny old world. If we were all the same it would be boring. I think his spelling is a bit questionable there.”

Reflecting on his broadcasting career, which began after two stints in Formula 1 from 1984-1989 and 1991-1996, Brundle revealed that he never wanted to move into broadcasting. He explained, “I never wanted to be a broadcaster. I was so angry because I wanted to be on the grid in 1997 driving for Jordan and I ended up working with Murray Walker on TV.”

Despite his initial reluctance, Brundle has come to appreciate his broadcasting career. He admitted, “The grid walk actually really annoys me because that’s what I’m known for now.” However, he added, “I won a lot of races as a driver and was on the F1 podium. I was World Sportscar champion, winner at Le Mans, beat Ayrton Senna a lot of times in F3 – I was a reasonably handy racing driver and I’m a reasonably handy commentator but all I’m going to be remembered for is getting ignored on the grid by the Megan Thee Stallion and other people I’d never heard of until that moment.”

Despite his reservations, Brundle acknowledged the significance of his OBE (Order of the British Empire), saying, “It’s quite a funny thing but I can’t knock it – heading towards 66, I’m lucky to still be in live sport and that’s why I was pleased with the OBE because it wasn’t an OBE just for grid walking.”